NEWSBYTES August / September

Contents:

Adam in the Spotlight
New Adam Internet Customer Feedback System
Adam Internet Website upgraded
Kern Internet customers can now change to Adam Internet plans
CommunityNet Modem Configuration Software
Adam Internet Business Solutions announces new SmartBiz plans
Footy Tipping Winner!
AdamTalk launching soon – limited customer Beta available
City-Bay Fun Run just completed
Variety Bash wrap up
National Railway Museum and school holiday steam train rides
GamingSA gets Steam-y
Wide World of Finance
Bodytalk Health with Phil Sheldon
Weblinks
Hot Tips
Did you know?

Welcome to the August / September edition of Newsbytes, the bi-monthly Adam Internet newsletter.

Newsbytes will keep you updated on what’s happening at Adam Internet, provide hints and tips for getting the most out of your connection and let you know of any specials or new services you can take advantage of.

If there’s anything you would like to see in Newsbytes, either as a feature or as a regular column, please email newsbytes@adam.com.au

Adam in the Spotlight

Adam Internet has been in the news lately with a variety of articles ranging from the Lochiel Park Project to Kern Internet’s cessation of trade. To read the articles, please click the links below:

Scott spreads wide net in wired world

Adam Internet logs on for future growth

Lochiel Park gathers speed

Michael Owen appointment

Give it a bash for kids

Charity gala at the Observatory

Internet switch as Kern logs off for good

New Adam Internet Customer Feedback System

A new Customer Feedback System has been introduced to Adam Internet’s range of Support Services to ensure you receive the best service possible. Following an inquiry our automated system will forward the details of your call to your email account and request your participation in a short survey.

Accessed from the Adam Internet Members Services Area, the survey features a variety of questions relating to the customer service you experienced.

The Customer Feedback System is an additional level of quality control being implemented by Adam Internet and we're encouraging all customers to participate. The feedback we receive from you will directly help to identify areas such as rostering, Customer Service Officer training, fault handling, and many other areas of quality assurance that we can improve for your benefit.

Adam Internet Website upgraded

The Adam Internet website has added new features, effective Friday 31st August 2007.

These include:

• New drop down selection menus, making navigation simpler and faster from all areas of the site
• New Press and Newsletter archives added from the About menu, providing access to all current and previous External Press, Internal Press and Newsletter archives.
  

Visit the Adam Internet website at www.adam.com.au and the new Press Archive [here]

Kern Internet customers can now change to Adam Internet plans

As some of you may already know, the South Australian ISP Kern Internet ceased trading as of the 1st of August, 2007. From this date, a large number of existing Kern Internet customers were transferred seamlessly to Adam Internet at no cost and now share the same privileges and access to Adam Internet services as existing customers.

We’d like to welcome all new customers to Adam Internet and trust that you are finding our Internet service is living up to your expectations when it comes to speed and reliability. All previous Kern Internet customers now with Adam internet may transfer to Adam Internet plans via the Adam Internet Members Services Area located [here]

CommunityNet Modem Configuration Software

Now available for all AdamDirect customers is the CommunityNet Modem Configuration Software.

An initiative of Adam Internet, CommunityNet allows AdamDirect customers on the same telephone exchange to share data files (music, video, programs or text) between each other without counting towards any of their data quotas.

Programmed by our staff, this software will automatically set up any Adam Internet supported modem to connect to CommunityNet and is available for free download [here]

For further support, visit the Adam Internet CommunityNet support pages [Here]

Footy Tipping Winner!

Thank you to all those that took part in the first Adam Internet footy tipping contest!

Congratulations to DickieKnee, mooman and bazza for their efforts in the tipping this year finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall. In a very close finish DickieKnee tipped 125 out of a possible 176 (just over 70%)

DickieKnee (aka Michael Greer), took out the top tipping position and won a tidy $2000 for his efforts.

The footy tipping competition will be making a return next season and we hope you enjoy the remaining footy finals. Go Port!

AdamTalk launching soon – limited customer Beta available

Adam Internet’s VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service is set to launch at 10am, Thursday October 4, 2007. AdamTalk is one of the newest and most cost effective ways to make telephone calls over the Internet. Using VoIP technology and regular broadband services, you can significantly cut the cost of your regular phone bill and enjoy a range of benefits unavailable to your fixed home phone line.

AdamTalk VoIP services include a telephone number that others can use to call you from their own fixed line or mobile so dialling and receiving calls appears the same to you as a regular call.

AdamTalk starts at $5.00 a month, on top of your regular ADSL or ADSL2+ account, which includes $5.00 worth of free un-timed national calls charged at just 12 cents per call – that’s over 40 calls per month. International call rates are subject to fluctuation but remain highly competitive even when compared to pre-paid phone cards. Finally, all AdamTalk to AdamTalk telephone calls are free of charge, so the more friends you have using AdamTalk the cheaper your calls will be.

If you would like to help in Adam Internet’s final Beta Testing of AdamTalk, simply send an email containing details of any VoIP equipment you already have (eg. ATA, softphones or modem/routers) and why you would like to participate to adamtalk-beta@adam.com.au

The goal of this Beta Trial is to verify connectivity between different VoIP equipment and phone networks with customers needing to complete a Checklist and Fault reporting procedure during the Beta Trial.

For more information on this exciting new product, visit the new AdamTalk website at www.adam.com.au/adamtalk/adamtalk.php

City-Bay Fun Run just completed

The City-Bay Fun Run was held last Sunday the 16th of September, where some 20,000 health conscious people embarked on the annual 12km run from King William Street in the city to Colley Reserve in Glenelg.

Adam Internet was represented by a team of 25 staff and friends with a number of runners competing in the 12km run, 12km walk and 6km walk. It was a great day for all, with two of our runners making it to Glenelg within an hour of starting.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the run and thank you to those that helped encourage them along the way.

A large number of runners entered the race to raise money for a variety of charity organisations, with the remaining funds benefiting Athletics SA.

Results from the race can be viewed at www.city-bay.org.au and footage from the race can be downloaded and viewed from the Adam Internet website, brought to you by Adam Internet, AdelaideNow and Rexel Video [here]

Variety Bash wrap up

The SA Variety Bash departed Mt. Gambier on the 11th of August and finished at Tanunda on the 18th.

Adam Internet is proud to announce we smashed the record for the highest earning “Virgin Bash Car” by raising just over $104,000 dollars! This effort made us the second highest earning vehicle on this year’s Bash overall, helping to make the 2007 Bash the most successful to date, with massive $1.73 million net raised for children in need.

The purpose of the Bash is to provide an opportunity for the crew to meet with disadvantaged children and their families in outback Australia, while spreading mischief and cheer. In full Adams Family regalia, the crew entertained residents each day as the Bash troupe passed through many small towns, and we even hosted a small Fun Stop by a cemetery for fellow bashers to relax, refresh and occasionally act up. Every moment was rare and precious, with the town’s residents happy to have the colourful cars line the streets for an hour or two before moving on.

Adam Internet is happy to announce its commitment to the 2008 SA Variety Bash.

Thank you to everyone for the support you’ve provided Adam Internet throughout the year, we could not have done it without you.

And special thanks go out to our official sponsors; Excel, Silk Telecom, NetComm, The Observatory, AdelaideNow, Tim Adams Wines, Ericsson, Tall Poppies, Plastyk, Pasquale Portaro Design, The Buruea, MEC Crash Repair, Silvers Autocentre, The Pink Pig and special guests Anthony Toop and Kym Dillon.

National Railway Museum and school holiday steam train rides

Adam Internet has entered into a partnership with the National Railway Museum with a number of carts to feature the Adam Internet logo.

The National Railway Museum is Australia’s premier museum for all rail related history, located at the Port Adelaide docks. The museum was started in 1963 by preservationists alarmed at the scrapping of large steam locomotives and rail network that had been the driving force behind South Australia’s colony since inception. Over the years it has grown to include trains that took part on the Ghan and trans-Australian passenger trains.

The Museum is run on a voluntary basis, with only two paid staff members maintaining the site. It survives off donations, shop, tours and the occasional government grant when organising special projects, including restoration of older vehicles.

This school holidays, experience a taste of South Australia’s history and enjoy a steam train ride from Semaphore to Fort Glanville. The two kilometre long train ride will be departing 11am and 4pm from the Semaphore Jetty as of the 29th of September every day of the school holidays. Tickets are only $6 dollars for adults, $4 for children and $18 for a family of 2 adults and 3 children. Following school holidays, the steam train rides will operate only Saturday and Sunday up until April.

Visit www.natrailmuseum.org.au for more information.

GamingSA gets Steam-y

GamingSA recently commissioned a brand new server to participate in the Steam Content Server program. Steam is an electronic distribution program for PC games developed by Valve, the creators of award winning titles Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Steam facilitates the online purchase, download and update of games online. The GamingSA Steam Content server will allow customers to download game files with the Steam application as local data thus taking advantage of the Adam Internet Double Data Bonus.

The server is now online, with a number of users already downloading game data quickly via GamingSA. You’ll know when you’re downloading from GamingSA when Steam displays the same GamingSA logo as appears in the image below.

Visit www.steampowered.com for more information on Steam.

Visit www.gamingsa.com to find server lists, reviews, forums and news updated daily.

Wide World of Finance – presented by Adam Internet on behalf of Jeffrey Potter at Goldman Sachs JBWere

Australian Equities: Key Issues following US sub-prime mortgage fallout.

Credit market concerns that originated in the low quality United States sub-prime mortgage market heightened during August. These concerns spread to the better quality credit markets and into the equity markets as investors looked to reduce their exposure to risk. This lead to a high level of volatility in the share market here as well as overseas, with some of the largest one day market moves on the down and upside.

• In our view, the key issue for investors for the remainder of 2007 remains the risks to earnings expectations from a renewed slowdown in the US economy (US consumer) and the potential impact this will have on global growth. We do remain sceptical that the market has factored in all the bad news post the recent US credit squeeze, and expect that volatility is likely to continue into September/October, as we see news stemming from the US which is likely to carry a mixed response, especially as further evidence of exposure to US credit woes emerges. We also maintain the near-term news flow around the US consumer and broader economy remains susceptible to further correction.
• While the fallout from the US sub-prime mortgage sector has without doubt reverberated throughout equity markets, the epicentre of this shock is largely US specific. At this stage we continue to be relatively optimistic with regard to global growth. While moderate damage to markets in our region appears to have endured, the underlying impact of a slowdown in US markets on the combined economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICs) appears to be moderating. The four BRICs economies represent more than twice the contribution to global growth as the United States, and possess strong momentum. This is good news on the domestic front given our increasing trade relationships with these developing markets.
• Domestically, overall numbers stemming from Australian companies reporting season appear robust. Results to date suggest a strong trading environment, with profit margins remaining intact. The recent tightening in credit markets effectively represents an increase in funding costs, particularly given Australia runs a current account deficit funded heavily offshore. Moreover, the competition for capital may make it more difficult for Australia to finance its current account deficit at the recent high exchange rates.
• From a portfolio construction perspective, we favour stocks with strong balance sheets (i.e., the potential for capital management & corporate activity), pricing power, improving returns (return on capital employed) and solid organic growth. In the current environment we recommend sticking to the large-cap end of the market, which typically outperforms in periods of rising volatility. Given the strong global growth outlook and expectations for a weakening Australian Dollar on a 12 month view, we retain a preference for stocks leveraged to the improving global economic cycle and with offshore earnings.
  

This article contains general advice only. In preparing this article, Goldman Sachs JBWere did not take into account the financial situation and particular needs (‘financial circumstances’) of any particular person. Accordingly, before acting on any advice contained in this article, you should assess whether the advice is appropriate in light of your own financial circumstances.

Bodytalk Health with Phil Sheldon

Phil Sheldon is a respected Health and Fitness motivator, radio and television personality who has kindly agreed to lend his expertise to Adam Internet customers for every Newsbytes Newsletter. You can visit his websites at www.bodytalkhealth.com and www.philsheldon.com.au

Cholesterol hysteria

To quote from dear old Bill Shakespeare “To be or not to be, that is the question”, but what is the matter that needs to be questioned? Well it is Cholesterol. Is it really that bad? The devil’s lipid, the entire cause of heart disease as some suggests. Well quite simply no it is not. There is no question that high cholesterol levels especially LDL and VDL are a risk factor in cardio vascular disease and that the statin family of drugs can lower cholesterol. Furthermore, there is no question that lowering cholesterol in patients who have already suffered a heart attack or myocardial infarction can be preventive medicine. This action will result in a very small, but never the less measurable, decrease in their chance of suffering another one, as well as a smaller - in fact barely measurable - increase in their survival rate. To add to this there is very little evidence or supportive data to show that statin treatment (that’s cholesterol lowering drugs) has any benefit to people who have not suffered a heart attack and who are in fact healthy.

Cholesterol is a vital component of a healthy body. It is in fact a vital lipid for optimum health, so much so that if we removed all the cholesterol from a living human body that person would die. It is a vital scaffold for our very cellular structure, but too much of the bad cholesterol is not really a good thing if we are talking about optimizing our health. So where does diet come into this? We make about two thirds of our cholesterol and ingest about one third from our diet.

Studies have shown that by introducing the correct dietary measures as part of a comprehensive lifestyle program we can reduce our bad cholesterols levels by about 30 per cent, which is about equal to the effect of the cholesterol reducing medication (Statins). Of course exercise has to be part of this program. So in simple terms eat less saturated fat and cut out trans fats found in fried and deep fried foods, takeaway foods, cakes, biscuits, pastries, fatty/processed meats, and full cream dairy products. Include in your diet small amounts of foods rich in unsaturated fats such as avocados, nuts (especially almonds, walnuts and macadamia nuts), seeds and olive oil. Eat more soluble fibre found in fruits and especially vegetables as well as oats, Psyllium husks, legumes and all whole grains.

Include natural sources of Omega 3 fats found in flaxseeds, olives and walnuts. Eat soy foods as a whole food - bean curd, tofu, tempeh, miso and soymilk. Exercise every day for a minimum of 30 minutes walking at a brisk pace and do additional weight bearing exercise 2 to 3 times per week. Keep your weight within a healthy range, don’t smoke, and learn to manage stress, again regular exercise, meditation Tai Chi, yoga, etc.

So there you have it. And if none of this works within about six weeks you may then need to seek further medical advice as there may be other underlying factors. But for most of us cholesterol is not really such a big deal. Statins do work but they are not without side effects and if cholesterol is the main risk factor for heart disease and we have a class of drugs that reduces cholesterol then why is heart disease such a major killer?

© Philip Sheldon MSc (Human Nutrition)
2007

www.bodytalkhealth.com
www.philsheldon.com.au
The Balanced Way
205 Payneham Rd, St Peters 5069
08 8362 1157

Weblinks

Get protected! - www.australia.gov.au/netalert - the Federal Government has provided a free filter and protection service for Australian Families to help protect children from harmful content online.

Free magazine for open source users - http://fullcirclemagazine.org/ – Full Circle Magazine is a free Independent Magazine for the Ubuntu Linux Community.

Share photos online – www.facebook.com – this free to sign up website provides space to upload and store photos quickly and simply, allowing them to be shared with friends even if they don’t have a Facebook account.

Hot Tips

For users of NB5 and NB5PLUS4W modems, you may have difficulty getting line sync when first setting up your modem. This difficulty arises from the modem's default "NO MODE" modulation setting, which needs to be manually changed to "MMODE" to resolve the issue. One of our staff has produced a small video tutorial that demonstrates how to adjust this particular setting. The tutorial can be found [here] with other tutorials available at www.adam.mrshlee.com

Please note, these guides were created for Adam Internet customers but were not written nor supported by Adam Internet.

Did you know?

The team at Adam Internet use and support a variety of open source programs, such as Ubuntu Linux, Open Office and the Firefox web browser. If you’re getting tired of your old Internet Explorer web browser on PC or find Opera and Safari on the Mac isn’t up to scratch, we suggest trying Mozilla Firefox. Featuring increased security, improved performance and a range of plug-ins to accommodate FTP, RSS and other functions, Firefox is an extremely safe and flexible program to use while exploring the Internet.

For more information on Mozilla Firefox visit www.mozilla.com